Brazilian amphibian inflates its backside to show off a pair of poison-squirting fake eyes to escape predators.

Animals have evolved all sorts of techniques to ward off predators in the wild – but, the adaptations of one tiny frog in South America might just take the cake.

When viewed from behind, you might mistake the Cuyaba dwarf frog’s rump for a menacing face.

The small amphibian is equipped with the ability to puff up its body, allowing it to appear much larger than it actually is. And, with two large eyespots positioned on its hindquarters, it bears an uncanny resemblance to a snake.

The huge eyespots on their rear ends help to ward off predators such as birds, snakes, and even frog-eating bats. And, if deception isn’t enough, they’ve got poison to back them up

Cuyaba dwarf frogs can be found throughout Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, according to National Geographic.

The huge eyespots on their rear ends help to ward off predators such as birds, snakes, and even frog-eating bats.

And, if deception isn’t enough, they’ve got poison to back them up.

‘Below the eyespots are large toxic macroglands,’ João Tonini, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and collaborator on Projeto Bromeligenous, told National Geographic.

While the toxin may be potent for small animals – with one dose enough to kill 150 mice – it couldn’t kill a human.

It could, however, cause a nasty sting if it got into your eyes, according to National Geographic.

Frogs and other amphibians have been facing increasing threats in recent years, putting many populations at risk.

But, the Cuyaba dwarf frog has managed to maintain solid numbers, thanks in part to their ultra-fast breeding habits.

A study published in 2004 found that some nests, or egg clutches, contained nearly 3800 eggs on average.

These frogs reproduce from October to January, during the wet season.

WHAT IS THE DISEASE CAUSING 'AMPHIBIAN APOCALYPSE'?

Chytrid fungus disease, or chytridiomycosis, is caused by the pathogenic fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).

It kills amphibians by destroying their skin, damaging their immune systems and even causing heart failure.

The effects of the disease were first seen in the 1990s when a number of frog species were declared extinct in Australia and South America.

Bd has been blamed for wiping out hundreds of species of amphibians in total and is said to threaten one third of the world's frogs and salamanders.

A recent study said Bd has been evolving with amphibians for around 40,000 years, meaning some are able to live while being infected. 

Researchers trying to isolate Bd in a petri dish using a swab taken from an amphibian

‘Most reproductive activity was observed at the pond and occurred up to three days after rainfall,’ the researchers wrote.

‘Males formed choruses to attract females to the flooded area. Males also sought actively for females, swimming and vocalizing (choruses) on the water surface.’

Their dull appearance compared to their relatives may also work in their favour, experts say.

Unlike more colourful species, which are often in high demand in the pet trade, Cuyaba dwarf frogs are ‘small and brown,’ Arturo Muñoz Saravia, a doctoral student at the University of Ghent in Belgium and coordinator of the Bolivian Amphibian Initiative, told National Geographic.